By Jim Willis -
[email protected]
THE TIERGARTEN SANCTUARY TRUST
There is an e-mail making its rounds about the first
confirmed case of WNV in a dog, a 2.5 yr. old Labrador Retriever in
Georgia. The dog exhibited drooling, decreased appetite, and general
symptoms of a neurological disorder. He was treated successfully with
chloramphenicol and made a full recovery after 5 days. But before anyone
panics - technically this is not the first case in a dog, although it
may be the first in the US, and WNV was confirmed in a cat in 1999.
More info about WNV and mammals is at the Centers for
Disease Control website.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/birds&mammals.htm
Dogs and cats are considered "incidental hosts." The
virus is not expected to reach a lethal level in them and most mammals,
they are expected to make a full recovery and WNV is not a reason to
euthanize the animal. Taking all the precautions you'd take for yourself
should be sufficient to protect your pets (don't keep standing water
around, use a spray, stay indoors at dawn and dusk, stay away from
mosquito breeding grounds, and continue your usual flea & tick
prevention).
We don't keep outdoor cats and since cats groom
themselves you have to be careful about what topical agents you apply to
them. The following is the recipe for our homemade spray that we use on
dogs/horses, and we've never had problems with fleas, ticks, flies or
mosquitos. We mix it in a large spray bottle and reapply as often as
necessary. If you live in an area with a high mosquito population, you'd
need to reapply it more often. Don't get the spray in the eyes or on
"privates."
Half apple cider vinegar (grocery store variety), half
Listerine (or generic amber mouthwash), one ounce of pure citronella oil
(from any horse supplier), one ounce of Avon Skin-so-Soft oil, one
half-ounce bottle each of peppermint and lemon oils (available from some
pharmacies; these two ingredients are probably not critical, but smell
great). Spray the animal thoroughly and work into the coat with an old
towel.
Of course there are commercially available sprays for
dogs, but read the ingredients first, and note that some should not be
used on cats.
Our dogs also get garlic in their food for all the usual
reasons, and that probably also helps ward off mosquitos. (We've also
never had any problems with vampires.)
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